The Roles We Play
by Fire Flame Spitter
Summary: Naruto was not raised with the loving hand of Sarutobi but with the iron fist of Danzo. Watch as Naruto finds his role in life. Nothing is as it seems in the world of shinobi. No Yoai.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello there. I know another story. But I'm not really getting any feedback and I'm trying to find my voice as a writer. So the only way I can that is by turning out story after story until something feels right. This story may actually be switched over into the Bleach/crossover section if I choose to go that route.. Still deciding. Like always I'll go back later and add some more detail to help flush everything out. Anyway, enjoy!**

**I still don't own Naruto.**

A brown haired teenager browsed through an isle in a local market. Every once and a while he would chance a look at the owner who sat patiently behind the counter. The teen put another item in his bag and made his way towards the checkout. The owner smiled as he displayed the items that he wanted to buy.

"You must live alone because there's no way your parents would let you buy only ramen." The teen scratched his head in an embarrassed fashion.

"I guess you figured me out." The owner waved him off.

"Don't worry son, I'm not gonna rat you out. Its better you buy it than someone else." The owners face darkened as he said that and the teen seized the opportunity.

"You don't mean that Uzumaki kid do you?" The brown haired teen made sure to mirror the man's disgusted face.

"Yep, I sure do. I already had to throw him out once today. If I did it again problems might arise. In fact why don't you take my entire stock free of charge? That way even if he does return I won't have to sell him anything anyway."

The teen smiled pleasantly and thanked the owner as he collected his large order of stovetop noodles. He gave a small wave as he exited the store to which the owner returned.

"Don't be a stranger son. Come back anytime."

As the teen walked down the busy streets of Konoha the smile that was on his face was replaced by a look of silent contemplation.

'The technique works better than I could have hoped. No one seems to know it's really me. But I still have no idea why they hate me.'

Taking note of his surroundings the teen blended into the crowded street. Reaching his destination he ducked into a nearby alley without anyone noticing and let the jutsu drop. It revealed a blond haired boy with blue eyes of about five years old.

Naruto secured his bag on his shoulder and made his way towards his apartment with a lot less care for stealth. The entire time he was unaware of a pair of eyes watching him from above. The silent observer disappeared as soon Naruto had made his way out of the alley.

**(Konoha Sewers)  
**

Deep beneath the village inside a labyrinth of stone tunnels an elderly man sat waiting. A single torch provided the lone source of light in the dark area. The man spoke to the unending darkness.

"Report." AN ANBU agent with a bird mask appeared before him in a kneeling position.

"It is as you suspected Danzo-sama. The boy shows great promise in the ways of stealth and recon." The man known as Danzo showed no outward emotion to the news.

"And what of his information gathering skills?" The bandaged man questioned.

"In that area his is also proficient. He knew not to push the issue with the store owner thus leaving him open for future questioning."

"And his emotional control?" Danzo pushed.

"He is in complete control sir; almost to an inhuman degree. He adapts to every situation with a predesigned disposition. In all instances he could be considered a sociopath."

"The same can be said for any great shinobi. You are dismissed Torune." The man known as Torune disappeared back into the shadows leaving Danzo alone in the darkness.

"The time has come for me to make my last move."

(Hokage's Office)

The Third Hokage Sarutobi Hizuren sat in his office smoking his pipe when his intercom rang.

"Hokage-sama, Danzo-sama is here to see you." Came the voice of his assistant through the metal box.

"Send him in and hold all other matters for the time being."

Sarutobi watched as his long time rival walked into the room, cane first, and sat down in a chair directly across from his on the other side of the desk. Hizuren knew that he was in for another round of trading words with the war hawk which was why he told his assistant to hold off other matters for the time being.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this sudden meeting, Danzo?" The Hokage figured he should at least try and be cordial.

"There are things of great importance that need to be discussed, Hizuren." Danzo spoke in his usual firm tone. Sarutobi almost chuckled, it seemed like every time he spoke with Danzo it was about something of the "greatest importance".

"That's always the case with you. What is it this time?"

"This is no small threat to the village security, old friend. This is something that will affect the shinobi world on a large scale." Sarutobi observed that Danzo looked to be serious but then again that was just the man's personality.

"I think you have done that already. Not many can say they had a hand in the deaths of over eighty Uchihas in one night." Sarutobi tried to see if he could rile the cripple up a bit, just to gauge where this conversation could be heading. His was quite surprised by the man's response.

"I will not lie. The Uchiha massacre was a debacle. It was flawed from the start but I do not regret it. It had to be done for the safety of Konoha." Sarutobi shook his head looking to be every bit of his age.

"Please Danzo; I have revisited the issue enough for one lifetime. I will just have to add it to the long list of failures I have acquired."

"I take it that Orochimaru is somewhere on that list?" That caught the Hokage off guard and immediately put him on edge. He decided to cut the charades and get right to the point.

"What is it you want?" Danzo looked out the window to where he could get decent view of the Hokage Monument. When he spoke it was with a solemn tone that Sarutobi had not heard in some time.

"The world has changed Sarutobi. There was a time when ninja only dealt with the affairs of their own. Now through the feudalization of the shinobi villages, Daimyos have an unprecedented influence on shinobi matters."

"I am well aware of the current state of affairs, Danzo. Get to the point." The Hokage urged eager to see where this was going.

"The point being the need for an alternative method of operations. I suggest soliciting for agents outside of the village to act as operatives for Konoha." Hizuren removed his pipe from his mouth and placed it on the desk. Looking Danzo straight in the he asked.

"Is this your way of asking to recruit missing-nin, Danzo?"

"It is an untapped resource." The bandaged man answered unflinchingly. Sarutobi was not to be persuaded so easily.

"For good reason. Now is a time of relative peace among the villages. Should we start allowing missing-nin into the fold it would no doubt send up signals to the other villages that we are preparing for war. That is not even taking to account that missing-nins are unreliable and disloyal."

"You know that this is not always the case Sarutobi. One of our most loyal shinobi was labeled a missing-nin not twenty-four hours ago." Danzo countered.

"A decision that I would not have had to make if it weren't for you and my former teammates." The Professor gripped his pipe with a strong vice one would not expect from a man his age. He took a few puffs in order to calm himself. When he had done so he spoke.

"I said earlier that I would not speak on that matter and I shall not. What's done is done. As for your request, I will have to decline. If there is nothing else…"

"No." He half expected Danzo to put up more of a fight than this.

"Then you are dismissed."

The one eyed man began to leave without further argument. It was then that Hizuren recalled the name his rival had mentioned when they began talking. Taking that into account, the Hokage offered up a warning.

"Danzo. If I found out that you are having contact with ninja not of this village, I will see to it that you burn." With his back still turned to his leader Danzo replied.

"I assure you, Hokage-sama. You will never hear of such a thing." With that the door closed leaving Sarutobi to ponder over what had transpired.

**(Naruto's Apartment)**

It took a few weeks but Danzo's plan had finally begun to bare fruit. With the Hokage thinking that he was associating with foreign ninja within the Land of Fire, security detail for the local Jinchuriki was beginning to lax. He didn't have long so he would need to make this quick. He entered small apartment via the balcony. He noticed that there was a small thin rope in the doorway that wouldn't catch any shinobi by surprise but would likely fool a civilian. Curious to see what type of trap the lad had come up with, he tripped the wire on purpose. He was slightly disappointed when all he heard was a tiny bell.

"Who's there? Come out!" Danzo stepped deeper into the bedroom to find the five year old fully awake and out of bed.

'_His reaction time is decent at least.'_

"You are very perceptive for your age Naruto-kun."

The boy didn't lower his stance which bared a loose resemblance to the academy form. It was still sloppy and he was much too young for it to be of any use.

'_He's too young to have learned it there. He must have picked it by watching some of the students. Impressive.'_

"Who are you and what do you want?" Danzo figured it was time for introductions.

"My name is Shimura Danzo and what I want is for you to know the truth." The boy still didn't lower his guard.

"The truth about what?" The one eyed man began to explain.

"Haven't you ever wondered why the entire village seems to dislike you? Or how about the reason the Hokage never tells you about your parents, even when you ask nicely?" It was obvious that he had the boy's attention as his stance finally dropped.

'_Too trusting. We'll have to work on that.'_ Danzo continued pitching his offer.

"I know the answers to all the questions you want to ask." Naruto's face was surprised for all of five seconds before he switched gears. Danzo kept a running tally of the boy's flaws and thought of different ways to correct them.

"What do you want?"

"Like I said, I want you to know the truth. But I also want you to become strong." Was the cripple man's response.

"You…want me to become strong?" The blond boy seemed genuinely confused now. Danzo began to explain himself.

"I do. You see, I love this village. Not so much the villagers but what this village stands for."

"What does the village stand for?" He saw that the boy was paying rapt attention now so he kicked it up a notch.

"Power. Honor. Respect. These are the values that this village was built upon. But over the years they have become bitter memories. I want you to become powerful in order to help me restore this village to greatness. In return, I'll answer any question you ask, truthfully." The line was casted; it was time to see if the boy would bit.

"How do I become powerful?" Danzo actually allowed himself to smirk. Hook. Line. And sinker.

"With my help."

**(Seven Years Later)  
**

Shinobi Perfection.

Those two words were what best described Naruto Uzumaki.

Recruited by Danzo at age five Naruto was molded into the perfect ninja by the militant old man. It was all done in secret as to not raise the suspicion of the Third Hokage.

By the time he was eight Naruto had grown strong enough to take match anyone in the village save for the elite jounin. At age ten he completed his first S-Rank mission issued by Danzo. No one was the wiser.

Where some specified in one field of the ninja arts, Naruto worked to master them all. From the basic three: ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu; to the less flashy aspects like information gathering and subterfuge. There was nothing that Danzo wouldn't teach and therefore Naruto learned and mastered it all.

At age twelve Naruto had completed his long term mission as an academy student and was assigned to Team 7 along with Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha under Kakashi Hatake. He showed no outstanding ability but he was not incompetent. As far as anyone knew he was an average shinobi with a burden he didn't know about. That was just the way Danzo wanted it.

A great change was coming to the Elemental Nations soon and the stage would be the Chunnin Exams in Konoha. It was during the exams that Orochimaru had planned to invade the Leaf Village and kill the Third Hokage. Danzo would not object.

And so it was that the Third Hokage was killed by his former student but that was not the end of the tale. Before Orochimaru could escape Naruto Uzumaki made his presence known. He was able to finish off the Snake Sannin and his entorauge in what would be remembered as one of the Jinchuriki's many legendary battles.

With the Third dead it was decided that it would be in Konoha's best interest if Danzo was named the Fifth Hokage. His first order as Hokage was to announce a new team of shinobi formed out of the twelve most promising gennin. He assigned Naruto Uzumaki to lead this group. They were called Dead Leaves and their purpose was to restore and maintain Konoha's status as the most powerful shinobi village in the Elemental Nations.

**(Hokage's Office)  
**

In the Hokage's office were the heads of the major clans in Konoha, the sensei of all of the rookies, and the gennin themselves. They all stood before the Hokage and Naruto Uzumaki.

"I understand that there has been some debate about the purpose of this newly assembled division. Those who have grievences should speak now." Danzo spoke in a tone that was befitting of a man in his position. At his words Kakashi and Shikaku Nara stepped forward.

"I, Kakashi Hatake, speak on behalf of the senseis of these gennin as Nara-sama speaks on behalf of the clan heads. It is true that we each have issues with what is being done. There are certain details of this assignment that were not revealed to us and we would like a more detailed description of exactly what is to be expected of this new division."

"I did not deem it necessary to reveal any more information than what was already given, jounin Kakashi." Danzo said giving away nothing with his facial expression.

"Did it not occur to you that we as parents of these children would object to these terms, Danzo?" Shikaku was failing to hold back the venom in his voice.

"You will address me with the proper title Nara-san. As for your question I knew that you would react in such a way. That is why I did not make you privy of such information. How you all came to find out about this is still a mystery to me. Perhaps there is a splinter in the Great Tree." Danzo's eyes fell on to the young blond beside him for a moment. Naruto, for his part, could feel his leader's eyes on him but displayed no emotion. Kakashi quickly cut in.

"Regardless of the origin we are here now and we request that this group be disbanded."

Danzo let his gaze drift from Naruto and focused on the ninja gathered before him with his one good eye. These people were the power of the village's past, present, and future. Angering them would not help his cause in any manner. He would need to be diplomatic.

"I would not force anyone into a situation they were not equipped or willing to undertake. I understand that I have been rather guarded in regards to this group's purpose so let me exlpain a bit."

Naruto watched as his sensei began his deadly dance of oral persuasion. There were few in the world as gifted in verbage as Danzo. When Danzo saw that he had their attention he began.

"With the combined attack of the Suna and Oto villages last year and the death of the Third Hokage, Konoha has fallen from the most powerful village to almost the weakest. Iwa and Kumo both surpass us right now in military might; even Kiri with its infighting could present a challenge for us. The village needs a group able to remove any and all external threats while we rebuild our strength."

"What kind of things would you have them doing?" Shukaku had finally calmed down enough to speak in an even tone. Danzo knew that this next part would get him riled back up.

"Everything from gathering Intel to eliminating specific threats to Konoha and her people."

"Then send some of us jounin. We are more qualified for a mission such as this." Kakashi tried to reason.

"The presence of noteworthy ninja, such as the jounin in this room, is the only thing keeping potential clients coming to us. If it were to be broadcasted that the best our village has to offer were all away from the village, we would no doubt lose the little clientele we have." Danzo responded. He was pleased to see that the more level headed members of the assembly showed hints of understanding. It seemed that Shukaku would not be so easily persuaded.

"By that logic it would make more sense to send some qualified chunnin on this mission. I would be more than happy to procure a list of worthy applicants."

"For this to work as I have planned the members need to have little to no notoriety in the shinobi world." Danzo's patience was wearing thin. Everyone knew that he was not a man who enjoyed explaining himself.

In regards to the topic at hand, Naruto had figured as much. It was the reason why his defeat of Orochimaru and the Sound Five was kept under wraps. Usually when a mark as infamous as the Snake Sannin was killed it was broadcasted by the village responsible to all others as a sign of strength. For Danzo to have kept the Sannin's demise a secret meant that it was to serve a greater purpose than a moral boost.

Danzo was growing tired of these proceedings and it was obvious that they were getting nowhere. So he cut the Nara clan head off before he could ask his next question.

"The short of the matter is this, I am Hokage. Like I said before I will not force any of the gennin to participate in this mission. They will be subject to great opposition form enemy ninja and traitors such as Itachi Uchiha. However, keep in mind that Shikamaru Nara and Sasuke Uchiha were promoted to chunnin after their display during the invasion. They are under my direct command and have no say in the matter. The rest of you can do as you wish."

All the cards had been played. Naruto could tell from the moment Danzo began speaking that things were going to end in his favor. Sasuke was hooked the moment Itachi's name was mentioned and Shikamaru was obligated to go. If Naruto had to guess, he would venture to say that Danzo planned to use the loyalty among the gennin against them. For a moment Naruto felt a strong sensation stir within him before it vanished.

Taking in the reactions of the ninja as they were dismissed Naruto knew that the mission was to begin as scheduled. As usual though he did not leave until Danzo permitted it. When everyone had left Danzo spoke, his tone as rigid as ever.

"What could you have hoped to gain from informing them of the mission details, Naruto?" The blond knew that denying was pointless.

"I had hoped it would weed out those unfit to undergo such a task, Hokage-sama." Danzo stared hard into Naruto's cold eyes. After a while he spoke again.

"For your sake I hope that was all Uzumaki. Just remember to whom your loyalty resides."

"Of course, Hokage-sama?" Naruto asked. Danzo tried to gauge his pupil's emotions and found that it was becoming harder to do as the boy grew stronger and matured. After a few seconds had passed he spoke to the young blonde.

"I need you to make sure that there are no complications with the Uchiha and the Nara. Do not allow them to be swayed by their peers." Danzo was pleased that he spotted a flicker of confusion on the boy's face before it disappeared.

'Good' he thought. 'I can still read him for the time being.'

"I don't understand, Hokage-sama. The mission was supposed to include all eleven rookies as well as myself. Has there been a change in plans?"

"There have been no changes, boy. It was always my intent to send you, the Nara, the Uchiha, and a ROOT operative on this mission. The rest are of no consequence." Naruto's confusion did not ebb away.

"Then why-"Danzo slammed his cane on the desk, rustling some papers in the process.

"You presume too much, boy! What qualifies you to question my orders? Has your time undercover warped your views?"

"Of course not, sir. I was out of line. Accept my apologies." Danzo watched with a calculating eye as he most powerful asset bowed to him.

"Do not let this happen again. You are to continue as planned, and remember they are all expendable; even you."

Knowing that was his cue to leave, Naruto nodded as he disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

**(Team 7 Training Ground)**

Naruto appeared in a swirl of leaves to the training ground designated for his team. There was unease in his stomach that he had not felt since his first S-rank mission. For all his skill and insight, he could not figure out why he was feeling this way. His mind roamed to Danzo's earlier accusation that his view on shinobi life had changed. He couldn't bring himself to deny that fact. He had spent the last eight months together with Team 7 and six years prior to that attending the academy with the other rookies. In order to not raise suspicion he had to let his guard down and during that time a bond had formed with these people, one that couldn't be faked.

Countless D-ranked missions, teamwork building exercises, and the debacle that was the mission to Wave Country had brought Team 7 closer together. Add into the mix the struggles during the Chunnin Exams and it was safe to say that Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi were the closest thing he had to a family. Which is why he found himself lost for words as he stared at his team.

Sakura's eyes were red an obvious sign that she had been crying. While he held no romantic feelings for the girl, Naruto decided long ago he did not like to see her cry. Sasuke's face was fixed into its usual look of indifference but Naruto had been around the Uchiha long enough to read his body language. The raven haired youth was giving off a vibe of intrigue and anticipation. It was obvious that the boy would not need much convincing in order to accept the mission.

Kakashi was another matter altogether. Naruto had learned to read the jounin's mood when said man was unaware he was being watched. But when the silver-haired man put his guard up, he was impossible to read. Such was the case right now. Sakura was the first to speak up. She brushed away a few stray tears and pushed through her hiccups.

"Naruto, what is going on? Nothing is making sense. Kakashi-sensei is saying you were working undercover for Danzo. What does that even mean?"

"Sakura…it's…I don't…"Naruto found that proper words for this moment eluded him yet again.

"At least tell me that you can get Sasuke-kun out of this mission. I mean just think about it. Fighting people stronger than Zabuza for Kami knows how long without any kind of backup! It's suicide!" By the end of her rant it was clear that she was going into shock. Her breathes were deep and ragged and her entire body shook as she inhaled.

"Sakura, I'm going. Stop being so annoying." Sasuke's declaration saved Naruto the burden of having to respond. The pink haired gennin stared wide eyed at the Uchiha survivor before she ran off with her head down and her eyes shut.

With her gone the training ground was silent for a moment. A few birds flew overhead chirping and Naruto idly wondered how such a beautiful day would host such a tense interaction. The silence was broken by the sound of grass crushing beneath shoes. Naruto watched as Sasuke walked straight up to him and stopped.

"How long will we be gone?" The Uchiha ventured.

"Indefinitely." Was Naruto's short response.

"When do we leave?" Sasuke questioned again.

"Tonight."

"Was it all an act?" His tone was casual and could have been mistaken for the way someone asks about the weather.

"No." Naruto was sure in his answer.

Sasuke nodded, seemingly satisfied with his answers. With nothing else he walked off in the direction of the Uchiha compound. Naruto was completely perplexed with the way this was shaping out but didn't have time to process it as Kakashi started talking.

"I never was good with these types of talks." His eye crinkled into the upside down U shape that was synonymous with the man when he was uncomfortable.

Naruto wondered exactly what type of talk this was. He doubted that there was a special protocol for situations like this but he listened anyway.

"So how long have you been training under Danzo?" Naruto raised a brow at the question but answered anyway.

"Close to eight years." Kakashi let out a whistle at that.

"So it's safe to assume you're pretty strong then." Naruto had no idea how to answer that so he chose to remain silent. Realizing that he wasn't going to get a response Kakashi started again.

"Listen, Naruto. I…well; things didn't turn out the way I expected. I'm not sure how they were supposed to turn out, but I know this wasn't it."

Naruto allowed the man to gather his thoughts as he realized he was trying to build up to something. With a sigh he continued.

"Naruto, your father-"

"I know." Kakashi was stunned for a moment before he gained a sheepish look.

"Right. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised." For a moment things got quite again. After a few seconds Kakashi spoke up again.

"I guess, that's it then. Good luck and come back safe." Naruto felt the tell signs of chakra building up and knew Kakashi was preparing a body flicker. Faster than he had intended, Naruto blurted out.

"For what it's worth; I really enjoyed our time as a team, Kakashi. You were an excellent sensei."

Kakashi's lone eye widened for a brief moment before a smile settled on his face. Naruto felt a foreign sensation as his former sensei flicker out of sight. Standing alone in the training grounds, Naruto allowed the feeling to linger a while longer.

**(Naruto's Apartment)  
**

Arriving back in his apartment, Naruto took stock of the gear he would need for the journey. He was now garbed in a traditional ANBU uniform without a mask. A ninjato was strapped diagonally across his back and seals were drawn all over his body.

As he double checked his inventory he let his mind wander. He had not been himself recently, that much was certain. Emotions were starting to ebb their way back into existence and the blonde had no idea why.

"_**Maybe Hizuren's death affected you more than you care to admit."**_

As soon as the first syllable was uttered Naruto unsheathed his blade and sent a swipe in the area of the offending sound behind him. As he body turned to face the intruder, his eyes went wide with shock. A beautiful read haired woman stood dressed in a black kimono. It was not her beauty that shocked him so but it was the fact that he had seen her before.

"_**Is that any way to greet me, **__**Sukoshi kitsune (little fox)? It's been so long since we last saw each other."**_

Naruto delivered another quick slash at the woman's neckline, a move that had decapitated dozens before her. This action elicited a giggle out of the woman as the blade phased right through her.

"_**Didn't we already talk about this? I know it's been a while but surely you remember that, silly**_." Her voice was angelic and carried a hint of melody as if she would start singing at any moment.

Naruto dropped the sword to the ground and began backing up, his eyes wide. He plopped into a lounging chair when he ran out of room and shut his eyes.

"You're not real. You're not real. You're not real."

He opened his eyes to find that the woman was no longer in front of him. He let loose a sigh that turned into a gasp when he felt a pair of hands begin to massage his shoulders.

"_**I'm as real as you are Sukoshi kitsune."**_ He felt the hot breathe from the whisper on his neck but didn't dare to turn around.

"Why are you here?" Her chuckle resonated through the whole apartment and made his chest rumble.

"_**A good question indeed."**_

Naruto ignored her and focused on controlling his emotions. It was the only way to get rid of her. Closings his eyes he began to take deep breaths and center himself.

"_**You can't get rid of me Sukoshi kitsune. I am you and you are me."**_

Soon he found himself calming down and felt it was safe to open his eyes. Doing so, he saw that he was alone again. He got off the couch and walked over to the blade that was lying on the floor. He sheathed it and strapped it back on his back and did the same with his pack. He took one last look at the apartment before he shut the door, paying no mind to the barely audible whisper in his mind.


	2. Chapter 2

**This is the second chapter of what is now my first Naruto/Bleach crossover. It didn't start out as one but as I began to plan further and further ahead the idea seemed to come together. Let me know what you think and offer up any comments/suggestions in reviews.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach.**

_(Hidden Grass Village-Five Years Later)_

Naruto Uzumaki sat in a booth at a local bar in Kusa. He was garbed in his ANBU uniform that he had become so custom to in the past half decade. There were only two major differences in his appearance. The first being that the blond had grown to a respectable six and a half feet. The second were the two red lines that ran from his eyes to the bottom of his face. When asked by his team the reason behind the red streaks the Jinchuriki would never reply.

The bar itself was average with no outstanding features. The customers were all from average walks of life such as farmers or merchants. These were the types of places that his debriefings usually occurred. Naruto nursed his drink as he reflected on the past five years.

As soon as they departed from Konoha the Dead leaves or Kureha, as they were being called, began eliminating specific threats to Konoha. This ranged from tracking down thieves such as Aoi Rokusho (who had attempted to steal the legendary Raijin blade) to murdering high ranking officials who were selling information on the village to the highest bidder. They had even come in contact with a brutal group of mercenaries known as the Akatsuki. After the first year it was apparent that no threat was safe from their reach.

The group officially consisted of himself, Shikamaru, Sasuke, and a ROOT operative known as Sai. Unofficially their ranks had more than doubled. This was due to an unexpected visit to the Sound Village which resulted in the recruitment of several of Orochimaru's former minions.

They received their orders from Danzo through a third party, The Toad Sage Jariya. It was the logical choice since the man never stayed anywhere too long and never stepped foot in Konoha anymore. Although he never said so openly, Naruto knew that the sage suspected Danzo's involvement in the assassination of the Third Hokage. Before he could think about the matter any longer, the toad summoner himself sat down across from him in the booth. The man reached across the table and took the blonde's drink without a word and gulped it down.

"Hey brat. How's it hanging?" Naruto fought back the twitch in his brow.

His relationship with the Sannin was…strange to put it lightly. He knew that the man was his father's sensei back when he was a gennin. He also knew that Jariya was his godfather. Danzo had told him so years back in an attempt to darken his view on Jariya, the Third, and his father. Strangely enough, it didn't work. Naruto felt no animosity towards his father for sealing the most powerful Bijuu into him. He felt no anger towards the Third for concealing his heritage. Nor did he bear any ill will toward his godfather for never being around during his early years of isolation. He knew he was entitled to some anger, Jariya had told him as much, but it never manifested. In fact he had developed quite the attachment for the Sannin that was most unexpected.

'_**That's my Naruto-kun. Always being the bigger man.'**_

Naruto paid no attention to the red haired beauty sitting directly next to him. He had come to find out that during one of his many training sessions in his youth, Danzo had placed a seal on his to allow him to access and control more of Kyuubi's chakra. While it did work it also made him more susceptible to the Bijuu's influence. It could manifest itself whenever it wanted to though Naruto was the only one who could see it. He still had no idea why it chose to use his deceased mother's appearance. The demon chuckled as she toyed with a lock of his golden hair.

'_**Well that's an easy answer. It's obviously because she's so beautiful. It's also meant to help you. Mean old Danzo only let you see a picture of her once. Now you can constantly be reminded of what she looked like.'**_

Naruto doubted that. While all the facts were true, he knew that the beast cared nothing about his feelings. It loved to manipulate and toy with him. Its appearance was probably just another method of that. A melodious laughter assaulted his ears. It was obvious she was amused but did not deny the assumption.

'_**What a cruel thing to say. I think you should pay attention to the hermit now.' He saw Jariya giving him an inquisitive look and waved him off. The Sannin raised a brow but continued talking.**_

"Like I was saying. It has come to Danzo's attention that the Akatsuki are planning to make a move on Gaara of the Desert. Your squad is to interfere and eliminate them both." Naruto saw that Jariya did not exactly like the idea and he could honestly say he felt the same.

He had met Gaara years ago during the Chuunin Exams and defeated him during the invasion. The blonde imparted a few words to his fellow Jinchuriki that must have stuck with him. Though he had not seen the redhead since, it was common knowledge among shinobi that his murderous disposition had changed after that. He liked to think he had a small had in that.

'_**Of course you did my little fox. You are the one who brings salvation in this desolate world.' **_The Kyuubi's voice held much mirth as if she knew something he didn't. Naruto just assumed it was another taunt and ignored her and focused on Jariya.

"I understand if you don't want to do this. Kami knows you've all done enough for the village." The Sannin offered up. Naruto raised a brow.

"Is that a statement from Danzo?" Jariya snorted at that. Being in contact with the blond these past five years he could tell when the boy was being disrespectful. He no longer referred to Danzo as the Hokage or as his master. It was certainly a far cry from the days when the boy would follow any word the cripple gave to the letter. Though the young man did still show signs of his emotional detachment more often than not, when he was around those that he trusted he would let his guard down. Jariya was happy that he was now considered one of those few.

"You'd better not let the ROOT boy hear you talking like that. He might strike you down in your sleep."

This time it was Naruto who snorted and Jariya smirked at the rare display of emotion on the blonde. Naruto couldn't help it. The thought that Sai would kill him in his sleep was almost laughable. If one thing had happened between his squad in the past five years, besides the obvious leap in power, it was that a bond was formed between them that was not easily broken. Being away from the influence of others and having to face near death experiences on a daily basis tended to bring people together. At any rate, Naruto was sure he could trust the members of his squad, even the new ones.

'_**I wouldn't be so sure about that. This world has a way of changing people for the worst.'**_ Kyuubi used her arm as a resting post for her head and stared at Naruto with an expression that he couldn't place. Naruto ignored all of this and addressed Jariya.

"I highly doubt that. Sai is unwaveringly loyal to me to the point where I'm sure he would go to war against Danzo himself if I asked." That statement made both Kyuubi and Jariya sit upright. Jariya regained his composure and questioned the blonde on that statement.

"Is this something you've been thinking about often?" Taking note of both of their reactions Naruto responded.

"It has crossed my mind a few times." Naruto's casual response put Kyuubi on edge.

'_**No it hasn't. I know everything that has crossed your mind and I have never heard this before!' **_Again the demon went ignored by Naruto. It was strange for Naruto to see the Bijuu this riled up. It wasn't exactly fear but she seemed to exude anxiety and anticipation. Naruto was soon drawn back to Jariya as the elder man spoke.

"You've got to promise me that you won't ever say that to anyone again Naruto. If word ever got out that you were even thinking such a thing-"Naruto waved him off with an exasperated look on his face. Jariya was eerily reminded of when Minato used to do the same thing.

"I only said that the thought had crossed my mind. God, Pervy Sage. What's gotten into you?" The Sannin was quiet and looked lost in thought for a moment. After a few seconds he spoke in a low voice.

"There's been talk. Nothing official but enough to put me on alert. It started back when you guys killed those Akatsuki members."

Naruto remembered the incident well. About three years into the mission they were approached by a pair of ninja wearing black robes adorned with red clouds. They called themselves the Akatsuki and their mission was to collect the Bijuu. This particular group was comprised of two men who were believed to be immortal; Hidan the Jashinist and Kazuka of the Five Hearts. The battle was tough but by the end Naruto and his squad proved that the two were far from immortal.

'_**Actually the Jashinist is still alive somewhere. Albeit he's about two hundred pounds lighter, but still…'**_ Naruto had to concede to the demon's point mentally. The sight of the man's severed head talking long after it was separated from his body still made the blonde uneasy. It seemed to have the opposite affect on his tenant though.

'_**Ooh, what a bloody day that was. Just thinking about it is getting me excited. How about you little fox?' **_Naruto had long since grown immune to the demon's suggestive behavior. He convinced himself that the shiver that went down his spine when Kyuubi whispered in his ear or caressed his body was not from arousal but from the sickening thought of a demon guised as his mother was attempting to seduce _**him.**_

'_**Believe what you want little fox. We both know the truth.'**_ Jariya's voice snapped him back to reality.

"I believe it was after that battle that Danzo began to worry about how powerful your team really is. Add to that the fact that he still doesn't know that you've since acquired four new members and I think that it's better to err on the side of caution."

Naruto wasn't entirely surprised that Jariya knew of the new arrivals to his group. A place like Oto wasn't something that Jariya would overlook. Jariya responded before he could question on how he came about that information.

"Don't worry about anyone else finding out. You covered your tracks well enough. Just a few loose ends that you missed. I took care of those for you. And it goes without saying that I won't be telling anyone."

That really did go without saying. Naruto and Jariya's relationship was strange. Jariya had been training the blonde on and off over the last five years. Though Naruto was loathed to admit it, he had come to respect the Sannin for his strength and wisdom. He helped filled the void that was left when Sarutobi died. Kyuubi let loose another hollow laugh beside him.

'_**Who knew you cared so much about that old man? I certainly couldn't tell.'**_ That comment cut the blonde more than he cared to admit. It was true that he had grown more distant with the deceased Hokage the further he got into Danzo's training. It was out of a fear of disappointing his hero that he kept that distance.

'_**And he died without ever knowing, how sad.'**_ Kyuubi's face took on a look of mock concern. Naruto made more of an effort to ignore it. He wouldn't allow himself to give the demon the satisfaction of knowing how much its words struck accord.

"Thanks Pervy Sage." The Toad Sage acted like he was offended by the nickname but they both knew it was a sign of affection. Naruto was all Jariya had in this world and, apart from his team; Jariya was Naruto's sole confidant.

"Yeah don't mention it. Anyway I've got to be going soon, so hurry up and order me another drink." Naruto raised a brow but did so. The waiter came over and set two drinks down on the table. When he left Naruto spoke.

"No training this time? I wanted to show you a new technique I mastered." Jariya took a long swig of his sake and set the saucer down. Judging by the way he swirled it around Naruto could tell he had something on his mind, so he let him gather his thoughts.

"I'm gonna have to take a rain check on that one kid. I've got a mission." Naruto nodded. It was obvious that the Sannin didn't want to talk about the specifics so he wouldn't ask.

"I understand. A toast to successful missions then?" Raising his saucer in the air Naruto watched as Jariya gave him a long stare before smirking. The Sannin followed.

"To successful missions." Clinking the saucers together the two quickly downed their drinks. Without another word Jariya got up and walked towards the exit. Before completely exiting he said one last thing.

"Stay safe kid."

Naruto watched as his godfather left the bar. He couldn't shake the strange feeling that something was wrong. Paying the tab by leaving a few bills on table, Naruto began to make his way toward the exit. He took a few steps when he noticed that Kyuubi wasn't following him. He turned around to find her still sitting in the booth, her head tilted to the side resting in her arms. The smile on her face was haunting and her shoulders were shaking as if she was holding in a big laugh. Without speaking Naruto exited the bar paying no attention to the dark laugh that began as he left.

_(Hidden Grass Village- Unknown Location)_

Hidden deep within the tall trees that grew in Kusa, a group of seven people waited in a relatively comfortable silence. They all stood or sat in a relaxed but alert state, obvious signs that they were professionals. They were known throughout the Elemental Nations only by their title the Dead Leaves.

Sasuke Uchiha would be the first to admit that he had changed in the past five years. In fact, he would even venture as far to say that the change in him happened before he left Konoha. To him his view of the world changed the minute he was placed on the same team as Naruto Uzumaki.; the supposedly average ninja from the same graduating class as him. He felt a connection to the blonde due to their similar pasts but he also saw something else in the Uzumaki. Power. No matter how well the blonde tried to hide his ability during their time together as Team Seven, he couldn't completely cloak the latent power that he held. Sasuke first noticed the extent of his friends power when they faced off against Zabuza in Wave Country. Though the blonde tried his hardest to appear normal, he would show flashes of being a brilliant shinobi.

The next time he noticed this hidden strength was during the second trial in the Chuunin Exams. When the blonde faced off against Orochimaru Sasuke was sure that even the Snake Sannin felt the power of the Jinchuriki lying dormant, ready to be released at any given moment. When it was revealed that the Uzumaki had killed Orochimaru and was an agent for Danzo, Sasuke felt as if the puzzle that was Naruto Uzumaki finally made sense. He was the living example of the phrase "nothing is ever as it seems", a phrase that the blond used quite often.

The Uchiha cracked his neck as he leaned casually against a large oak tree and observed the assortment of ninja that surrounded him. To his immediate left was Shikamaru Nara, one of his oldest companions. The Nara was initially against the idea of accepting the long term mission imposed on them by Danzo. After the first several missions, the slothful shinobi finally accepted his role as tactician, though he still protested every now and then. It would take hearing of his sensei's death to solidify his place among the Dead Leaves.

Apparently at some point during their time away from Konoha two men from the Akatsuki came to the village in search of Naruto. Shikamaru's sensei, Asuma Sarutobi, was the one who intercepted the duo only to be cut down. When their squad encountered the two S-rank ninja, the Immortal Duo relayed the information of his Sensei's death to the Nara. Of course he didn't believe them until they produced the late ninja's famous Chakra Blades.

The lazy ninja fought with more conviction that day than Sasuke had ever seen in him. When the two were dead Shikamaru lashed out at Naruto for being the reason why his sensei was dead. Naruto didn't disagree and allowed the Nara to vent for as long as he needed to. Eventually the shadow-nin realized that it was idiotic to blame Naruto for his sensei's demise and vowed that he would die an honorable death protecting Naruto, just as his sensei had. Naruto's objection to the Nara's declaration went unheard by the lazy ninja.

Sasuke's trip down memory lane was interrupted by a frustrated shout.

"Where is that son of a bitch? We've been waiting for almost three hours. If I don't kill something in the next five minutes there's gonna be a bloodbath."

The violent statement came from none other than Suigetsu Hozuki, native of Kiri and former experiment of Orochimaru. They stumbled across the young man when they were eradicating all remnants of the Sound Village. He was locked inside a liquid chamber by Kabuto who had assumed control of the village after Orochimaru's demise. After killing Kabuto and the girl Karin, who was in charge of keeping the prisoners from escaping, Naruto decided to free the liquid shinobi. When asked what he wanted in return, the Uzumaki responded by saying "_Nothing. You're free to do what you want"_. That seemed unacceptable to Suigetsu and he vowed to follow the blond until such a time that his debt was repaid. He did state however that he wouldn't hesitate to cut the blond down if he stood in the way of his dream of collecting the legendary blades of Kiri's Seven Swordsman. Naruto felt that was a fair deal.

Suigetsu's attitude at the present grated on the nerves of the lone female of the group, Guren. She too was a former underling of Orochimaru. Upon his death she fell into a deep depression and lost her will to live. They crossed her path for the first time in a small village in the Land of Rice Fields. She had somehow found out that it was Naruto who had killed her former master and demanded he fight her to the death. Naruto obliged and defeated the crystal user rather soundly but did not end her life, even as she begged him to do so. He told the woman to find a new reason to live. Days later she appeared before them bowing asking if she could join their group, Naruto replied by saying:

'_Only if you have a reason to live.'_ She responded that she did but did not reveal exactly what that reason was, though Sasuke guessed it had something to do with Naruto.

Back in the present things were heating up between Suigetsu and Guren.

"You're such a brute Suigetsu-baka. Uzumaki-kun will get here when he feels like it." Sasuke sighed as he knew that Guren's comments would only serve to irritate Suigetsu even more.

"Was I talking to you, bitch?" Suigetsu responded elegantly. That's all the motivation Guren needed to summon a mace made of crystal and begin bashing the swordsman's head with it.

"Sasuke! Control this banshee before I cut her into pieces." The liquid nin yelled in between grunts of pain from his position on the ground.

"It's your own fault for talking so much, troublesome idiot." Shikamaru drawled around the cigarette in his mouth from his seat on the ground.

The beating continued for a few more seconds before Guren was satisfied and released the technique. Suigetsu got off the ground, mumbling as he dusted himself off. He knew he had gotten off easy this time and decided not to push his luck. He focused his anger on Shikamaru instead.

"Yeah well who asked you, you lazy bastard? I'm sure if it were up to you we'd be sitting around all day watching paint dry."

The forest was quite again save for a bird flapping its wings. The bird flew towards the group and landed on an orange haired young man.

"The birds say that Naruto-sama is on his way now." Came the soft voice of Jugo.

Like the others, Jugo and Kimimaro had been found at one of Orochimaru's bases. The two were engaged in a deadly battle due to Jugo losing control of his bloodline. Kimimaro tried his best to subdue his friend without causing any harm to him but was defeated. After watching the bone user fall, Sasuke and Shikamaru ended up subduing the crazed shinobi and were aimed to kill him when Kimimaro spoke out. He explained the situation and pleaded with the group not to kill his only friend in the world. Naruto agreed and as an apology he removed the curse seal from Kimimaro and added a seal to Jugo to enable the bipolar shinobi to better control his power. The two were so grateful that they pledged loyalty to the Uzumaki, much to Naruto's embarrassment and his team's amusement.

"Stop calling him your master, idiot. You know he hates that." Suigetsu had a certain disdain for hero worship and was vocal in his opinion when it came to how Kimimaro and Jugo addressed Naruto.

"Do not speak to him like that, trash." Kimimaro's cold eyes set on Suigetsu and the atmosphere grew tense. It might have been their differing views on life or bad blood between the two Kiri natives but they did not get along well.

"Oh yeah? Who's gonna stop me?" Suigetsu placed a hand on Kubukiribocho which prompted Kimimaro to eject a razor sharp bone from his arm. The forest grew silent and the group waited for who would strike first. The fights between Suigetsu and Kimimaro were always legendary. Before matters could escalate a familiar voice cut in.

"That's enough Suigetsu, Kimimaro."

All attention was turned to Naruto as the blond walked steadily towards his team. Taking in their varying expressions, Naruto couldn't help but feel at ease. These were his precious people. After years of isolation and loneliness he had finally found a group of friends with kindred spirits. He wouldn't trade them for anything.

"Well it's about time. What the hell took so long?" Suigetsu welcome made Naruto's brow twitch.

'Well I wouldn't trade most of them, anyway. I doubt anyone else would take Suigetsu.'

"I had business to handle." Taking in those present Naruto realized someone was missing. "Where's Sai?"

"No idea. He took off a few minutes after you left. We assumed you knew." Sasuke responded also wondering about their teammate's whereabouts. As if he was summoned, the ROOT ninja appeared in a plume of smoke.

"Where have you been, Sai?" Naruto questioned.

"I stopped into town to pick up some more ink. I hope that's okay, taicho." Sai's reply was given with the same painted smile he wore as for as long as Naruto had known him. He briefly entertained the thought that Sai was lying before dismissing it.

"It's fine. Good thing you're prepared because we have a mission." The entire group seemed to perk up at that bit of information. It had been three days since the last mission and a workout would be a welcome thing to all; except Shikamaru.

"Hell yes! I was getting a bit antsy. So what's the deal this time? Infiltrating Kumo's defenses? Destroying the levees in Kiri? Or maybe bringing down Iwa in a raw show of brute force?" Naruto sweat dropped at the swordsman's vivid suggestions. Though now that he thought about it such missions were well within the realm of possibility.

"So imaginative." Guren said with a twitch in her brow. Naruto shook his head as he explained.

"Nothing like that. We're to intercept a kidnapping in Suna."

"Sounds easy enough, do we all have to go?" Shikamaru's question made Naruto smirk slightly.

"I think so considering who the kidnappers are. It's the Akatsuki." The group lost the semi-jovial mood and switched into professional mode.

"Akatsuki? In Suna? So they must be after Gaara then." Naruto nodded to Sasuke's assumption.

"Exactly. Our mission is to eliminate the Akatsuki threat."

"And what about Gaara?" Sai's question made Naruto pause and turn to him. After a moment he spoke in his normal toe.

"He's not our concern, understood?" Sai nodded immediately.

"Of course taicho." Naruto's stare lingered a bit longer before he addressed the group.

"Good. Get ready. We leave in five minutes."

While the assassins began packing their equipment, Naruto took a minute to collect himself. He was being suspicious of Sai for no reason. A sultry whisper entered his ear.

'_**You should really keep an eye on him. The sage was right to be weary of him. He is from Danzo's special division. But then again, so are you.' **_

Naruto squashed that thought. Sai was in the same position as he was. But still, Jariya was weary of the ROOT agent; maybe he had good reason.

'_**I wonder what the sage is doing now.'**_ Naruto stared off into the distance as he felt his stomach drop.

"Uzumaki-kun." He turned to see Guren with a smile on her face looking at him expectantly.

"We're ready to go." Naruto nodded and took to the trees with one thought on his mind.

'_Stay safe, godfather.'_

_(Land of Rivers-Akatsuki Hideout)_

Jariya knelt on one knee as he observed the six men in front of him. In his mission to uncover the truth about the Akatsuki leader he discovered that it was his former student Nagato, wielder of the legendary Rinnengan. Off to the side Konan, his other former student, watched the battle with a detached expression. To think that those kids from Rain Village would grow up to be the leaders of an organization such as Akatsuki; Jariya felt as if his list of failures would never end.

His breathing was heavy and blood oozed from the several wounds that Nagato had inflicted. There was a ringing in his ears that almost drowned out what the Akatsuki leader was saying.

"In the end you were destined to fail, sensei."

Jariya's face turned into a rueful smirk and he tasted the coppery blood that fell from the corners of his mouth.

'Failure. It's something I should be used to by now. Maybe this death is fitting for me.'

His mind flashed to the last time he spoke of his failures.

_(Flashback)_

_(Open Clearing in Rice Field Country)_

_Jariya watched with a small amount of pride as Naruto gathered the natural energy that surrounded him. When it was apparent that the blond could achieve Sage Mode, Jariya allowed him to stop._

"_Good job, brat. To think you can use Senjutsu after just a few months of training. Guess you really are a prodigy." Naruto shook his head at that as he took a seat on the grass beside Jariya._

"_I'm no prodigy. I just had a strong work ethic drilled into my head, literally." Jariya knew he was referring to his training with Danzo._

"_Listen Naruto. I really-"Naruto cut him off as he sprawled out and allowed his head to hit the grass._

"_You don't have to say anything, Jariya." Jariya shook his head with a serious expression on his face._

"_No, I really do." Naruto turned towards his sensei and saw that he was staring off in the distance. Looking at him now, the sage seemed every bit worldly as he claimed to be. When Jariya spoke it was with a somber tone._

"_I left you. I'm not gonna try and spin it to make myself seem in the right. The cold hard fact is I left you alone when I should have been looking out for you. Because of my failure Danzo was able to get you under his palm. There's no way I could understand the things he did to you. But I have to say, I'm sorry."_

_By the end of his apology he had turned back towards Naruto. The blond stared at the man who had offered the first apology he had ever received. He idly noted that the tattoos under the Sannin's eyes looked rather cool. Naruto switched his gaze from Jariya to the horizon where the sun could be seen beginning to fall._

"_Why is the world this way?" The question caught Jariya off guard. Naruto had never asked for his opinion unless it was pertaining to training. He figured the best thing he could do was be honest._

"_It's because people fail to understand each other and that gives way to hate. Even I can tell that hatred is spreading. I've always wanted to do something about it … but I don't know what … but I believe… that someday the day will come when people truly understand one another! If I can't find the answer, it will be up to you to do it!" Jariya shined a bright smile to Naruto who showed genuine surprise._

"_Me?" The blond asked gesturing to himself. Jariya nodded with the smile still plastered on his face._

"_I can't think of a better person. This world is one of pain and hatred and you've seen more than your fair share. It's only right that you be the one to find a way to break the cycle." Naruto's face took on a solemn look._

"_You should place that faith in someone else, Jariya. I'm not some savior; all I know is being a shinobi. That's all I have in the end."_

_Looking at the sixteen year old young man Jariya couldn't stop the sorrow that filled his heart. He didn't see the proficient shinobi that could give any seasoned ninja a run for their money. He saw a boy who had been robbed of his childhood, a young man searching for acceptance in a world that denied it to him._

"_That's not true." The blonde's eyes shot towards the older ninja demanding an answer. Jariya was quick to provide one._

"_You always have a home. I believe that wherever you have precious people who still think of you, then that place is your home." Jariya was then witnessed the rare sight of Naruto's face exploding with emotion._

"_Shut up! That's just a lot of talk. All there is in this world is death. It's the only constant thing!" The unexpected outburst caught Jariya by surprise but it did not deter him._

"_Are you afraid of death, Naruto?"_

"_I'm not afraid of anything." The blonde said this with such conviction that Jariya almost believed him. But thee Sannin could tell that he had hit the core of the discussion._

"_Being afraid of death isn't the same as being afraid of dying. One implies a strong attachment to this world we live in. The other means that you're reluctant to see what's beyond this world." Naruto listened with rapt attention and at the end he asked the question that had haunted him since he took his first life._

"_What if it's just the same? What if this is all there is?" Jariya didn't respond immediately but Naruto didn't care. He looked as if he could sit there for an eternity waiting for the answer to that question. After a while Jariya spoke._

"_The true measure of a shinobi is not how he lives but how he dies. It's not what they do in life, but what they did before dying that proves their worth." Jariya let loose a chuckle that Naruto knew was far from joyful. "Thinking back on it, my story is one full of failures." The Toad Sage seemed to get lost in the past for a moment before continuing._

"_Tsunade rejected me every time. I couldn't save my friend; I failed to protect my students… and my teacher. Compared with the Hokage who came before me, my accomplishments have all been petty and insignificant. I want to die like them__." To hear Jariya, one of the Sannin and quite possibly the strongest person from Konoha still alive, speak in such a way made Naruto feel as if he was intruding. But he wasn't and it became clear that the two had crossed into new boundaries in their relationship._

"_The point is that even after all that I believe that there's something great waiting for us when we die. It has to be."_

_Naruto felt a sensation that he had not experienced since his childhood. A wet substance fell down the sides of his face and he wiped his cheek to make sure that the tears were real._

"_What the hell is wrong with me?" All of the conflicting emotions inside of him made their way out through his eyes and he wasn't sure what was happening. It all gave way when Jariya spoke._

"_There's nothing wrong with you kid. You're perfect."_

_Through his tone and the caring smile on Jariya's face, Naruto was sure that this is what it felt like to have a father. And for that brief moment the blonde assassin allowed himself to cry. The Sannin beside him never lost his proud grin._

_(Flashback End)_

Jariya snapped back to reality with a shock. This was not the way he would die. Naruto was still out there and he'd eventually have to fight Nagato. He couldn't leave his student to clean up his failure. He wouldn't die this way. Jariya quickly flashed through a set of hand seals.

"**Summoning Jutsu**!" In twin plumes of smoke two toads appeared on the sage's shoulders.

"Why do you still fight?" Nagato was losing his composure. He couldn't understand why his former sensei wouldn't stay down. Jariya shook his head in pity for the Rinnengan user.

"I don't think someone like you could understand."

"Jariya-chan. Nice to see you." Fukasaku greeted with a fins smile. Shima was far less cordial.

"Where do you get off summoning us after all this time? You haven't even invited us for tea in ages." Jariya would have laughed if the situation wasn't so dire.

"Sorry about that. I'll have to make it up to you in the next life." The two toads seemed to read the situation now. Fukasaku looked towards the six bodies of the Akatsuki leader and questioned Jariya.

"Is this man really that strong?" Jariya didn't respond and when the toads finally got a good look at Nagato's eyes they understood.

'The Rinnengan, I see.' A look of determination was on Jariya's face and it slowly settled onto the faces of the toads as well.

"Well if this should be your death then let it be ours as well!" Fukasaku declared. Shima also nodded but added a condition.

"Just remember that you owe us a cup of tea in the next life."

Konan stood off to the side giving wide berth to the two powerful ninja. Her feelings about the current situation were conflicted. She sided with Nagato of course, but she couldn't shake the feeling that killing Jariya was wrong.

From her position she could see the battle well. Up until this point Nagato held the upper hand without question. However there was a different aura around Jariya right now. While it wasn't something she could see, the kunoichi knew that the tide was about to turn.

_(Land of Wind)_

The group of eight ninja trekked across the desert sands of Suna. They had decided to take a more conservative pace once they hit the desert. They came to a halt when Shikamaru knelt down to inspect the sand. He then pointed towards a large sand dune.

"They went that way." The Dead Leaves made their way over the dune and were immediately assaulted with a stench they all knew well. The smell of a rotting corpse once not a thing a ninja forgot. Sasuke examined the body and was surprised that he recognized the victim.

"I remember this guy. He was in the exams with us. He's Gaara's brother."

Naruto knelt down and looked the body over more closely; small lacerations could be seen all over.

'It was done by wind chakra that much is sure. So there is either a wind user in the Akatsuki or-'

"It splits off into two directions. Looks like there are more than two of them this time. Let's hurry while the trail is still visible. If we wait any longer then the sand will shift and we'll lose them." Sasuke's analysis cut into the blonde's thoughts. The trails spilt off into two directions; one heading south and the other east. The footprints indicated that there were four people total. Four Akatsuki members was nothing to sneeze at. They would need to strategize in order to execute precisely.

"Damn I hate the desert." Suigetsu seemed to have other plans as he randomly chose the eastern path and began trekking. Shikamaru spoke out before he could get too far.

"Wait. We should think about this more clearly." The Hozuki turned to face the Nara with a perplexed expression.

"What do you mean? We run in kill those Akatsuki assholes then we get out. Sounds simple enough to me." The Nara shook his head in annoyance.

"What I mean is that Gaara is a high ranking jounin and a Jinchuriki. Don't you think that they will be sending more ninja to look for him once they realize his brother hasn't returned?" Even Suigetsu had to concede to that. No village would allow their Jinchuriki to be captured without putting up a fight.

'And yet Kankuro was the only one who came after Gaara.' Naruto filed that thought away for later and addressed his team.

"Shikamaru's right. Here's the plan. Sasuke, Suigetsu, and Shikamaru will take the trail headed south. Me and Sai will take the one to the east. Kimimaro, Guren, and Jugo will act as diversions for the Sand ninja should they come looking."

The ninja all wordlessly agreed and set off on their respective paths.

(Southern Trail)

Suigetsu was not happy at the moment. The sun was high in the sky and there wasn't a cloud in sight. This unfortunately meant that there was no reprieve from the harsh rays that beamed down on him. Add into the mix the fact that he had down the last of his water and it was safe to say that the swordsman was pissed. He turned an eye towards Shikamaru and Sasuke both of whom had full canteens. He knew that pestering the Uchiha for water would get him nowhere. Maybe he could annoy the Nara enough to get sweet relief.

"Give me your canteen, sloth." Shikamaru didn't stop his stride when he answered.

"And why would I do that? It's not my fault you already guzzled down all yours." Judging by his casual response Suigetsu knew he wouldn't be receiving any holy liquid.

"Bastard." He mumbled. Thoughts of thirst were gone as Sasuke suddenly came to a halt. He spoke lowly with his Sharingan active.

"There's someone up ahead. Two signatures."

Straining his eyes Suigetsu could make out two men in black cloaks. One was definitely larger than the other. And bluer than the other. A vicious grin spread across the liquid ninja's face.

"Holy shit, today just got a whole lot better." Standing in front of the group of three were two of the most infamous shinobi in the Elemental Nations: Kisame Hoshigake and Itachi Uchiha.

"If it isn't the Hozuki brat. I see you got Zabuza's sword. You must have took it from his grave cause there's no way he'd let you get your hands on it any other way." The smirk on the fish man's face was full of cockiness. Suigetsu promised himself right then that he would wipe that grin off his face.

"You shouldn't be worried about how I got his sword. You should be more concerned with how you're going to hold onto yours." Suigetsu declared pulling Kubukiribocho from his back.

Meanwhile a battle of eyes was taking place between the two doujutsu wielders. Sasuke spoke to his elder brother with his Sharingan spinning wildly.

"Itachi." The elder Uchiha's expression didn't change a bit.

"Hello little brother. I suppose it's time to see how much you've grown." Shikamaru could only sigh as he pulled another cigarette from the pocket on his ANBU vest. He watched the events unfold in front of him with one word.

"Troublesome."

(Eastern Trail)

The bodies of two Akatsuki members lay broken in the sands along with the still form of Gaara. It was obvious by the rise and fall of his chest that the Suna nin was still alive. He was more than likely put into a temporary paralysis by one of Sasori's many poisons. This particular duo was composed of Sasori of the Red Sand and Deidara the Terrorist of Iwa. Both men were powerful and well deserving of their rank as S-class criminals. But Naruto and his team were well past the point of S-rank. They were heading into uncharted territory as far as power went a fact that had Danzo on edge, according to Jariya. Naruto watched in morbid curiosity as the blood from Deidara's broken body pooled into the sand and made it clump together.

'_**It truly is beautiful, isn't it?'**_ Naruto ignored Kyuubi and began to pull off the cloak and ring from the deceased Iwa ninja. Sai, who had already done the same with Sasori and given them to Naruto, asked a question.

"Why do we collect their cloaks and rings, taicho? Are they trophies?" Naruto shot a look to Kyuubi. The demon was too busy basking in the essence of death to heed his imploring gaze. It was Kyuubi's idea to collect the rings and cloaks of the fallen Akatsuki members. Not receiving any further information from the demon Naruto responded to Sai's question.

"I guess you could say that." His gaze was still focused on the red haired Bijuu and he could bring himself to look away as she scooped up a clump of blood soaked dirt and rubbed it on her neck.

'_**I love a good bloodbath.' **_Her words came out as a moan. She then turned to Naruto with heavy lids and spoke sensually.

'_**You should watch your friend instead of me.'**_ Naruto quickly turned in time to see that Sai stood over Gaara had his tanto poised to slit the Suna nin's throat. With great speed the blonde managed to intercept the blade with his own. After reflecting the strike Naruto stood in front of Gaara's prone body in a protective stance.

"Sai!" Naruto was filled with a fury he had not felt in quite a while.

"Yes, taicho?" Sai's lack of emotion only riled him up even more. He calmed himself as he heard the melody of Kyuubi's laugh.

"I thought I told you that Gaara wasn't our concern."

"This is the mission, taicho. Gaara of the Desert is to be eliminated." The ROOT ninja stated as if it were common knowledge.

"That's not what I said." Naruto replied with a sinking feeling in his gut.

"No. It's what Danzo-sama said. He is the Hokage and these are his orders." Sai responded with his usual painted smile. Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"How long have you been working for him?"

"I think the real question is when did you stop, taicho?" Without further delay Sai flashed in front of the blond in an attempt to decapitate. Naruto reacted quickly and ducked underneath the slash while thrusting his own blade forward towards Sai's gut. The ROOT ninja moved with agility around the thrust and made a dash towards Gaara only to be sent back by a roundhouse from Naruto. Now that some distance had been created Naruto decided that he wanted answers.

"Why are you doing this?" Getting back up from the power kick, Sai chose this time to reveal some facts and reevaluate his opponent.

"Konoha is in a perfect position to seize control over the Elemental Nations. Akatsuki has already nullified all Jinchuriki save for you and Gaara. With your deaths no one will have the upper hand except Konoha." Sai's explanation hit Naruto like a ton of bricks. Everything that his group had been doing for the past five years was a lie.

"He's been planning this from the beginning. All of our missions, they weren't to protect Konoha. They were to weaken the other villages." Sai nodded with his false smiling face.

"Correct. When I informed Hokage-sama of your recent additions to the team he knew that it was time." Naruto was shocked though he knew he shouldn't be. Jariya had seen it and so had Kyuubi. He had been blinded by what he thought was friendship.

"People in Konoha won't let this happen without a fight. We have friends; Shikamaru has a whole clan behind him." Naruto was unnerved as the smile never left Sai's face.

"You have no one. All traces of you three were wiped from Konoha. As far as Shikaku-san knows, he has no son." The thought that they could be so easily erased was deeply troubling to the blonde. Still, he knew one person who would side with him no matter whet.

"Jariya will side with me." Sai nodded but still remained confident.

"Of course he would, if he weren't being sent on a suicidal mission. Danzo couldn't risk having such a powerful shinobi and influential figure turning against him. So he sent him into the den of someone even more powerful."

'Stronger than Jariya...' The thought seemed unreal to Naruto. If Jariya was going all out there were not many people in the world who could match him. Before he could dwell on it anymore Sai cut in.

"I'll save you the trouble of guessing. It's the leader of the Akatsuki. I don't know who he is but if he's able to control a group of S-rank shinobi, I'm guessing he's more than a match for Jariya-sama."

Naruto had enough of this talk. If what the traitor said was true then Jariya was in danger. He would have to finish this quickly. Sai seemed to know how he was going to attack. He attributed this to their constant teamwork over the years. In order to kill him Naruto knew he would have to use a technique that he had not shown anyone. No one besides the man he learned it from.

"It won't work taicho. I know your every move. The benefits of our close relationship, I suppose. You really are a great sensei."

Ignoring Sai's taunt, Naruto made a sealess Shadow Clone appear behind the ink user. As expected Sai sensed the presence behind him and moved to strike. This was all the time Naruto needed to gather a spiraling ball of blue energy in his right palm. Dashing toward Sai with immense speed Naruto watched as the smile finally dropped from his face and his eyes grew large.

"What is this?" Sai didn't have time to move as the Rasengan crashed into his abdomen, no doubt shredding his internal organs in the process. Sai flew back several feet before his body crashed into the sand with a sickening thud, a sign that a few bones had broken. Naruto was instantly standing over him

"Where did he send Jariya?" When he received no response the blonde twisted an already twisted arm and was pleased when he heard a piercing scream.

"I said where?" It became obvious that no matter how much pain the ROOT ninja was in he wouldn't divulge the information. Naruto was about to break another bone when Kyuubi offered up some advice.

'_**Use my chakra, little fox. It works wonders for when the truth needs to be revealed.'**_ He had no idea what that was supposed to mean but allowed the demonic chakra to wash over him. The red chakra extended from his right arm to form a claw that wrapped around Sai's neck. Sai wheezed and hacked and Naruto began to think that the malicious chakra would destroy his vocal cords.

"Where is he?" Naruto watched as Sai's eyes began to bleed before he finally wheezed out an answer.

"A cavern…in the Land of Rivers." Naruto stared at the traitor with cold blue eyes before he flexed his fist. The resounding crack echoed through the sands and Sai's eyes rolled to the back of his head. The red chakra dispersed as Kyuubi draped her arms around Naruto's neck.

'_**I suppose that's one way to end a friendship. Oh well. You'll always have me.'**_ A hacking cough from the now awake Suna nin gained Naruto's attention. He walked over to his fellow Jinchuriki and watched as his eyes adjusted. It became obvious that the red head was dehydrated so Naruto unscrewed his canteen and allowed him to guzzle it down. When Gaara had his fill he spoke.

"U-uzumaki." Naruto offered up a small smile for his fellow Jinchuriki.

"Hey Gaara. It's been a while. Don't worry, I'll drop you off close enough to where your village can-"Gaara cut him off with his raspy voice.

"No. They were the ones who handed me over to the Akatsuki. They used Temari as leverage. If I go back now they'll kill her and Kankuro." That came as news to Naruto. With this new information Naruto was able to piece together what had happened. Kyuubi seemed to have done so as well.

'_**The poor fool doesn't know his brother is already dead. His village probably killed the girl as well.' **_Naruto felt as if he could have easily been in Gaara's situation. In a way he was, betrayed be the village he fought for, erased from people's memories as if he never existed. Gaara must have felt so alone at the moment, just like everyone on his team had at some point.

"Don't worry, I won't leave you alone. After all, we're in the same situation." Naruto allowed his chakra to flare and waited patiently. After a few moments Guren, Jugo, and Kimimaro appeared in a flash. Naruto watched as they surveyed the scene, no doubt wondering why Sai was dead.

"Guren, look after Gaara and check his wounds." He saw that her gaze remained focused on Sai and felt the need to explain.

"He was a traitor." That seemed to be enough for her as she immediately began looking Gaara over. Naruto saw that she had it under control and allowed the natural energy to flow into him. He knew what Jariya's chakra signature felt like and finding him would be easier now that he knew where to look. He turned and was about to depart when Jugo stopped him.

"Where are you going Naruto-sama?" Naruto turned back to the soft spoken ninja and replied.

"I have something I have to do. Return to the base in Kusa when everything is finished here." Kimimaro saw that something was weighing heavily on Naruto's mind and made a suggestion.

"Allow us to come with you." Naruto looked at the members of his team with a conflicted gaze. After a moment his eyes hardened.

"You have your orders." He took off without taking notice of their expressions, ranging from hurt, disappointment, and anger. He didn't have time to explain though. He would apologize later if he survived. The only thought on his mind was Jariya and his weakening chakra signal.

'I'm coming Sensei.'

**End Chapter A/N: This was originally 15 thousand words long but I felt that would be too much for one chapter so I'm splitting it up. The leap to Bleach will be made next chapter and I have to say I think it's an original concept. Review so I can get a feel as to how my writing style is viewed.**


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